About Sukhjit S. Johl, MD

I am originally from Yuba City, but spent much of my early adult life in Southern California. I was an undergraduate at UCLA. I received my medical degree from the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. I completed my internship at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center in Torrance, CA and my residency at the Jules Stein Eye Institute, University of California, Los Angeles School of Medicine. You get the idea… I had a tough time leaving Los Angeles; needless to say, I am a UCLA Bruins fan. I did leave Southern California to complete my fellowship in Oculofacial Plastic, Reconstructive, and Orbit Surgery at the Midwest Eye Institute/Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, Indiana. I joined the Permanente Medical Group in 2001 and am happy to be back in Northern California. My practice is limited to oculofacial plastic and orbit surgery. Understandably, most people have never heard of this subspecialty. After finishing an internship and ophthalmology residency, I completed an additional two years of advanced fellowship training to specialize in reconstructive and cosmetic surgery of the face, especially the areas around the eyes. This includes the eyebrows and forehead, the eyelids, the surrounding face, the orbits (“eye socket”), and the tear production and drainage systems. Problems in these areas can result from conditions present at birth as well as from aging changes, injury, infection, or tumors. Medical conditions can also affect these areas, as with thyroid eye disease. Other people may be more concerned about the cosmetic effects aging and gravity have had on these structures. Although Kaiser does not cover the cost of cosmetic surgery, we do have an unique multidisciplinary Cosmetic Services program with which I am actively involved.